Deals

Advantage Partners and TPG are among the remaining bidders for Anabuki Construction Inc., a Japanese apartment developer that failed last year with around $1.6 billion in debt. Nikko Cordial Securities is managing the process.

Advent International, Bain Capital and Berkshire Partners have completed their $1.2 billion take-private acquisition of SkillSoft PLC, a provider of SaaS e-learning and performance support solutions.

Aurora Capital Group has acquired four Midwestern steel service center facilities and merged them into a single entity known as New Star Metals. No financial terms were disclosed.

Avolon, an aircraft leasing company, has raised $750 million in equity commitments from Cinven, CVC Capital Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners. It also has secured a $400 million warehouse debt financing facility.

Berggruen Holdings, a private equity vehicle of billionaire Nicolas Berggruen, has offered to buy insolvent German department store chain Karstad. The only other bid is from European buyout firm Triton.

Blackstone Group may invest $500 million, as part of a group that has offered to help General Growth Properties exit bankruptcy. Existing consortium members include Pershing Square Capital Management and Fairhome Capital Management.

Blackstone Group is considered a leading suitor for Radio Shack (NYSE: RSH), according to the New York Post. A buyout could be worth upwards of $3 billion.

Carlyle Group and TPG have increased their offer for Australian hospital operator Healthscope (AX: HSP), and said they do not have plans to break up the company. The revised bid would value Healthscope at A$1.8 billion (US$1.5b), or A$5.75 per share. The original offer was A$5.50 per share. Blackstone Group joined the two fims in the process.

Centerbridge Partners, Blackstone Group and Paulson & Co. have won the auction for bankrupt hotel chain Extended Stay, agreeing to pay nearly $3.93 billion in cash. A rival bidder consisted of Starwood Capital Group and TPG.

Certiport, an Atlanta-based portfolio company of Spire Capital Partners, has acquired MeasureUp LLC, a provider of IT practice tests and assessment services. No financial terms were disclosed.

Cinven’s planned purchase of French medical diagnostics business Sebia is being financed with a €340 million loan provided by BNP Paribas, Citigroup and Commerzbank.

Charlesbank Capital Partners and H.I.G. Capital have acquired eye care services company TLCVision out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Charlesbank Capital Partners has sponsored a recapitalization of Tulsa-based cedar distributor Cedar Creek, in exchange for a majority ownership position. ClearRidge Capital advised Cedar Creek on the deal. No financial terms were disclosed.

CKX Inc. (Nasdaq: CKXE), owner of the rights to American Idol, has received a $493 million buyout offer from a group that includes show creator Simon Fuller and former Barclays Capital dealmaker Roger Jenkins.

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is the latest private equity firm to enter the bidding process for Royal Bank of Scotland’s payment processing arm, according to Reuters.

Covidien (NYSE: COV) has sold its U.S radiopharmacy network to Triad Isotopes Inc., an Orlando, Fla.-based provider of radiopharmaceuticals that are used for both diagnostic imaging procedures and disease treatment. No financial terms were disclosed. Triad Isotopes is a portfolio company of Parthenon Capital.

DLJ South American Partners has led the acquisition of a 25 percent stake in Grupo Santillana de Ediciones SL, a provider of educational book publishing services for the Latin American market, from Grupo Prisa. The deal was valued at $370 million. Other participants included Gavea Investimentos, Highbridge Mezzanine Partners, Magna Capital, Stichting Pensioenfonds Zorg en Welzijin and DLJSAP limited partners like Albright Capital Management, Honeywell Capital Management, Partners Group and PCGI.

EDF (Paris: EDF) has set a June 21 deadline for offers on its U.K. power grid assets, which are expected to garner upwards of $5.7 billion.

EN Engineering, a portfolio company of Clearview Capital, has acquired Wheatland Systems Inc., a Lawrence, Kansas-based provider of services to the power and utility industries. No financial terms were disclosed.

Endesa (Madris: ELE) has launched a two-stage auction for the sale of its gas distribution and transmission network. Several private equity firms have expressed interest.

Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS) said its board has approved a plan to buy back up to $2.5 billion of its shares, following failed buyout talks with a consortium of private equity firms.

First Data Corp. announced three senior management departures, sparking weakness in the company’s bonds. First Data is a portfolio company of KKR.

GemCity Engineering and Manufacturing, a Dayton, Ohio-based contract manufacturer, has acquired Vistek Medical, an Ivyland, Pa.-based contract manufacturer of medical implant and specialized components. No financial terms were disclosed. GEM is a portfolio company of Riverside Partners.

Genband, a Plano, Texas-based provider of IP infrastructure solutions, has acquired most of the assets of Nortel Networks’ carrier VoIP and applications solutions businesses, for approximately $282 million. Genband was being backed on the deal by existing shareholder One Equity Partners.

Gloucester Engineering Co., a Gloucester, Mass.-based provider of system and component solutions to the plastics extrusion and converting market, has secured a credit facility from an affiliate of Blue Wolf Capital Management.

Hampton Road Bankshares Inc. (Nasdaq: HMPR) has agreed to raise $255 million via a private placement. Purchasers would include Carlyle Group and Anchorage Advisors, which each would pay around $73 million for a 23.1 percent voting rights position.

Harvard Drug Group has acquired Spectrum Pharmacy Products, a maker of fine chemicals and laboratory products, from Spectrum Chemical Manufacutring Corp. No financial terms were disclosed. Harvard Drug is a portfolio company of Court Square Capital Partners.

HealthScope (ASX: HSP), an Australian hospital operator, said it would open its books to private equity suitors.

HgCapital has acquired SimonsVoss Technologies AG, a German provider of digital radio-based locking and access control systems. The deal reportedly is valued at around £100 million.

H.I.G. Capital has acquired a control stake in First Capital, a Boca Raton, Fla.-based provider of asset-based lending and factoring to small and mid-sized companies. Participating alongside H.I.G. were affiliates of Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners and JP Morgan Asset Management. No financial terms were disclosed.

High Road Capital Partners has acquired Advanced Sleep Medicine Services Inc., a Los Angeles-based provider of sleep disorder diagnostics and related durable medical equipment in Southern California. No pricing terms were disclosed. Fifth Third Bank provided debt financing.

Ipreo, a provider of market intelligence and productivity solutions to corporations and I-banks, has acquired BuysideIQ, a provider of online investor targeting solutions. No financial terms were disclosed. Ipreo is majority-owned by Veronis Suhler Stevenson.

Jingle Punks Music LLC has raised an undisclosed amount of private equity funding from Hammerline Capital. The New York-based company publishes music for use in television, film, advertising and interactive to clients across the media and entertainment industries.

Kinderhook Industries has completed its $30.38 million take-private acquisition of International Absorbents Inc. (NYSE: IAX), a maker of environmentally-friendly pet care and industrial products.

LDC has sponsored a £15 million management buyout of U.K. luggage maker Antler from Barclays Private Equity. No financial terms were disclosed.

Lion Capital, Permira, Doughty Hanson and Charterhouse reportedly are among those eyeing Unilever’s Italian frozen food unit, Findus Italy.

Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE: MRO) has agreed to sell most of its refining and marketing assets in Minnesota to three private equity firms for more than $800 million. The buyers are ACON Investments, NTR Partners and TPG.

maxIT Healthcare LLC, a Westfield, Ind.-based portfolio company of Riordan, Lewis & Haden Equity Partners, has merged with Parker, Colo.-based Ingenuity Solutions Group Inc. No financial terms were disclosed. The combined company will provide health care ERP system solutions to the health care IT professional services market.

Mistral Equity Partners has acquired a majority interest in LoveSac, a multi-channel retailer of bean-bag chairs and other furniture products. No financial terms were disclosed.

Montage Partners has acquired Cal-Sierra Pipe Inc., a Stockton, Calif.-based provider of steel pipes for use in agriculture and water infrastructure applications. No financial terms were disclosed. McGladrey Capital Markets managed the transaction.

Morgan Stanley Private Equity has formed a strategic partnership with Bill Mitchell, former chairman and CEO of Arrow Electronics, to form an IT services provider focused on serving small and medium sized businesses. The new platform will be created via investments and/or acquisitions.

New Mountain Capital has agreed to buy the specialty chemicals business of Covidien (NYSE: COV) for $280 million. The Phillipsburg, N.J.-based group makes chemicals under the J.T.Baker and Mallinckrodt brands.

Oak Hill Capital Partners has completed its previously-announced acquisition of The Hillman Companies Inc. from Code Hennessy & Simmons, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and certain members of company management. The deal was valued at $815 million, with Hillman’s publicly traded trust preferred securities to remain outstanding on the NYSE-AMEX. Hillman is a Cincinnati-based distributor of hardware items to retail customers.

Oasis Dental, a U.K. dentistry group that serves an equal mix of NHS and private patients, has raised an undisclosed amount of private equity funding from Partners Group and Duke Street.

PAI Partners is in talks to buy a majority stake in lab testing company Cerba European Lab from IK Investment Partners.

QCSA Holdings, a vehicle remarketing and total loss claims management company, has acquired Salvage Direct, salvage re-marketing company. No financial terms were disclosed. QCSA is owned by private equity firm Kinderhook Industries, while Salvage Direct was backed by SJF Ventures.

RockWood Equity Partners has acquired the assets of Minco Technology Labs Inc., an Austin, Texas-based maker of mission-critical chips and components used in military and aerospace applications. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which was done in partnership with company management.

RoundTable Healthcare Partners has formed Renaissance Pharma Inc., a Montreal-based pharmaceutical platform company. No financial terms were disclosed. Renaissance Pharma will be led by Pierre Frechette, former president and CEO of Sandoz Canada Inc.

Royal Bank of Scotland reportedly is considering a private sale of health group The Priory, which is previously planned to take public.

Stant Corp., a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, has acquired the assets of Expert Corp., a Romeoville, Ill.-based maker of evaporative emission canisters and front end carriers for the automotive industry.

Summit Materials, an acquisition platform in the building materials market, has acquired Continental Cement Co., a supplier of cement to customers in Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. No financial terms were disclosed. Summit was formed last fall by The Blackstone Group, Silverhawk Capital Partners and former BHP Billiton CEO Charles Goodyear. It has up to $780 million in capital commitments.

Sun Capital Partners has acquired Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen, the nation’s largest casual seafood restaurant chain. The seller was Sagittarius Brands, a portfolio company of Charlesbank Capital Partners. No financial terms were disclosed.

SunEdison, the solar energy unit of MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR), has agreed to a joint venture with energy-focused private equity firm First Reserve Corp. The deal could result in First Reserve acquiring up to $1.5 billion in current and future SunEdison solar photovoltaic energy projects.

Terra Firma Capital Partners has acquired Scotland-based Ardrossan Windfarm from Scottish & Southern Energy (LSE) SSE). The deal is valued at £53.8 million, including the assumption of £25.7 million in debt.

Thoma Bravo has completed its take-private acquisition of PLATO Learning Inc. (Nasdaq: TUTR), a provider of online learning solutions for students kindergarten through adult. The deal was valued at approximately $143 million, or $5.60 per share.

Warburg Pincus has agreed to invest $138 million into Sterling Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: STSA), as part of the bank holding company’s recapitalization. THL Partners previously had agreed to invest $175 million, but will adjust its investment to match that of Warburg Pincus.